Nintendo wants to continue to 'surprise' fans

Nintendo President Reggie Fils-Aime has said that the company is continually looking to “surprise” its fanbase, going so far as to say that this is central to the company’s outlook on success. Speaking to Gamespot for an interview in the build-up to E3 2o15, Fils-Aime said:

“Nintendo fans are very vocal, and like any company, we pay attention to what people are saying. But I think it’s helpful to repeat what we’ve said before. The only way to truly surprise someone is to deliver something unexpected. That’s really written into our corporate DNA.

“So moving forward, I guess it’s safe to say people can look forward to a combination of things they’ve always wanted…and things they never even thought of wanting.”

During the interview, which spans everything from Fils-Aimes start at the company to the early hands on time he gets with games, Fils-Aime took the time to talk about Nintendos dealings with third party developers, saying:

“As you know, our independent developer program is robust and growing. And conversations with third-party publishers are constant. Plus, many great indie titles have also arrived on Nintendo 3DS, from Moon Chronicles to Mighty Switch Force to SteamWorld Digto Woah Dave!, all of which are available on our ‘Humble Nindie Bundle.’ [This sale runs through 11AM PT on June 9] And our teams are constantly looking for ways to increase options for developers, like working with Unity to support the New Nintendo 3DS XL.”

As for what about Nintendo that brings him pride, Fils-Aime said it was tough to narrow down, as Nintendo works on a lot of good stuff, but he did speak about the company’s history with portable devices.

“One of my first jobs was helping launch the Nintendo DS in 2004. That seems like a long time ago, but I think it speaks well to Nintendo’s history of continually supporting our portable platforms with compelling games–the fact that the company has had only two handheld lines over a dozen years. I really resist cross-generation comparisons, because things change quite a bit over time.

“For example, our 3DS line includes a glasses-free 3D display and now Amiibo support–things that simply weren’t possible previously. Every platform has to prosper in its own time, and I think Nintendo 3DS is doing just that. But as with every previous portable platform, Nintendo’s development teams are creating incredible on-the-go experiences that can’t be found elsewhere.”